MBF

She may sit a little higher than you wanted with new springs, but over time they should settle in slightly. Mike

There's a spray on chrome that you can't tell from the real thing. A local motorcycle builder does it. I forget what the price comparison is but its a fraction of rechroming, and it can be done on any surface. I think its a two stage paint, but I've seen there work and you can't tell it from chrome. Something you may want to look into, but it doesn't look bad the way it is either. Mike

Don't feel bad, I got stuck the same way a couple of years ago when I bought a replacement slant six. I ended up rebuilding my own engine so that I knew what I had. Mike

Todd-where did you find stainless simulators that fit over the 6 lug wheel? Mike

I'd be looking to a tire shop that does truck tires. If the locking ring fits snugly, and the groove on the rim is straight and clean there shouldn't be a concern. I just did new bias plys on the front of my 1 ton. When I took them apart to paint several years ago I cleaned the ring and groove very good before painting them. I also put some corn starch inside the tire and worked it around before I installed the tube and flap. I was amazed how cleanly they came apart, and how easily the tire was to remove. I freshened up the paint, mounted my new tires and tubes, chained them up and slowly inflated them in stages. Mike

I had an old farmer tell me that he sprayed WD40 on his wife's knuckles every day to help her arthritis. Said it worked wonders, but she insisted that he not smoke around her. Mike

Big trucks have been using them for years on both Budd and Dayton style rims. I had them on the drive axles of my road tractor back in the early 80's. What a difference in the ride and fuel mileage also increased. With the locking ring style rims, the rim needs to be in good shape as far as the groove and ring. There have been discussions on other forums about using radials on trucks that sit a lot. I believe the consensus was that for those type of situations, a bias ply will last longer before it needs to be replaced due to sidewall checking.

If you hook up 12 volts to your guage w/o the proper voltage reducer in line the 12 volts will fry your guage almost immediately. I know this from personal experience. Someone here should have the specs on the resistor that is used specifically for this guage. Like others have said, the sending unit is just a variable resistor and will not know the difference between 6 and 12 volts. Mike

Try another rotor. I pulled my hair out years ago after tuning up a V-4 outboard that wouldn't start. Rebuilt the mag, changed the points, condenser again, bought a new cap and still nothing. Turned out that the brand new rotor that I had just bought was defective. Put the old rotor back in and it popped right off. If you can fire your coil to ground by working the points with the key on, I believe the problem has to be either the cap or rotor. Mike

I agree w Lugnut. Probably just dirty points from oxidation. I've got some projects that sit inside for extended periods of time. Before I even try to start them, I clean up the points because I know w/o that I'm just gonna hear it churn. Mike

I'll bet it was used as a mobile home toter in its heyday. I'll bet it turns on a dime, but rides like a bucking bronco. Mike

The one your holding could be an aftermarket replacement, the one in the dash appears to be an original. A good locksmith should be able to make a key for you, but I can't tell you what that would cost. When I took mine to get a copy made, he told me my key was very worn to make a copy from, but he'd give it a shot. He only had one blank for my switch in his shop, but could get more if needed. He said that if it didn't work with some minor adjustments it was going to be more than a copy cost. We lucked out and it worked! Good luck. Mike

Moose, I've got the same one as listed in the auction that came with my 52. I've seen one of each style that that I pulled off my 51 and 52 parts trucks. I'm assuming that they were original. Mike

I don't know if it's still the case, but I'm pretty sure the horn on my 78 Dodge pickup is isolated from the ground through its mounting. There is a constant supply of 12V positive whenever the key is in the on position. The ground is made trough the horn button-not through the chassis. I'm thinking that may be the case with the PH too. Aren't there phenolic washers in the mounting brackets? If there are, that would mean the horn setup on the PH are the same as the later Dodges. Mike

When I had mine apart last year to do a valve job there were marks on the head in a large swirl pattern. Having just completed doing a motor job on my 78 dodge's slant six, I took the head to the machinist along with my head gasket. I'd remembered him telling me no block of cast iron that long could have been heated and cooled for 30+years w/o distorting. He said someone had cut it before but hadn't put a finished cut on it. He cut it just enough to level off the face. The he came over and we checked the face of the deck and that was fine, but had been cut before too, but it had been finished. I think somewhere along the line before I bought the truck back in the 90's the previous owner had the motor out with a pretty good amount of machine work. There was no top ridge, had a new water tube, and the pan was pretty clean. I love working on this old low compression stuff-its very forgiving!

Had over a 1000 lbs of scrap on mine that I loaded Sat morning only to find out the yard didn't open until Monday. Put it in the garage w the load on-barely even squatted. I couldn't believe the scale readings 5690 loaded 4612 empty. Mike

I did my right front this past fall. I got a piece of heavy sheet metal from a telephone equipment cover. I cut it to the size that I needed which was larger than the rusted mount (I think about 6" x 7". I made a brake and put two 1/4" bends at the side edges. I coated the entire face of my patch with seam sealer, and then worked it into place and drilled the hole for the mount bolt. I then took a piece of 3/4" angle iron, and fabricated a stiffener to replace the missing portion of the front to rear cab bracing on the passenger side. Mike

I'm taking the holiday tomorrow, and gonna let my truck do some work. I've got some copper, brass, and steel that is going to the scrapyard on her back. Also have a nosepiece from a parts truck that is badly mangled that'll be going. I've been workin on it most of the winter, now its her turn. Mike

I agree-it sounds like valve timing, or valves set to tightly with the low compression readings you're seeing. Have you checked the valve lash (tappet adjustment) with feeler gauges while the engine is hot and running? If they're set properly within tolerences, and you're valve timing is correct, the next thing I would check for would be to see if a valve job was done during the rebuild. Mike

That's neat. I've got some 35MM pics of my 1 ton with our youngest guy when he was about 8 or 10 standing alongside my truck with our pet crow perched on the mirror. He's almost 21 now, and occasionally drives the truck, and will take the 36 Plymouth to shows. He's working on his own project now-the 53 Chevy that my Dad bought new 2 weeks before I was born. Get 'em hooked while they're young! Mike

Tom if you can't find anything closer let me know. I'm in NY state. This would be for a 1 ton right? Mike

I did mine myself. Like the rest of the vehicle it isn't perfect, but it looks good. For the door panels and interior (headliner, door panels, rear cab surround) I used 1/4" luan as a backer, and using an industrial contact cement I used a cloth backed vinyl that my wife found at a fabric store. The biggest problem was making the patterns, but I believe that someone here has patterns for sale. I dynamatted the firewall and roof, and used a double foiled back plastic insulation from Lowes for the back of the cab. For the seat covers I bought a set of seat covers at our truck show in Macungie PA several years ago. I was told they were for a PH Dodge. Turns out they were from an IH! I removed the newly made covers from the IH frames, and my covers from my frames to make the swap. I put 1" foam (from the same fabric shop) on the seat and backrest portion prior to installing the covers. These were attached by the c clips to the springs. Go for it. Mike

I just did my front end (king pins, tires, rebuilt steering box). Check for a defective tire that may be coming apart. You'll notice a deformed tread as you roll the tire while its elevated. Next check wheel bearings for loosness. From there I'd get a bar and pry on all of the front suspension components looking for something that is loose. (King pins, tie rod ends, drag link ends). Then check the mounting for the steering box to the frame-make sure the bolts are tight from the box to the bracket, and the bracket to the frame. Also check the steering box mounting bracket for cracks. Next I'd check the front shackles for play side to side. On last thing to eliminate is frame deflection. With the truck sitting on the ground, have someone rock the steering wheel (while the wheels are straight ahead) side to side while your under the truck. Watch for movement in the steering box, shackles where they mount to the frame, and for left frame rail deflection. All of these things add up. Mike

If its a stepped cylinder like used on the front and rear of the 1 tons I should have a receipt somewhere. I'll post the p/n later. Mike

The vacuum line from the wiper motor comes down through the firewall and hooks to a vacuum port on either the intake manifold, or the carburator. There should already be a hole in the firewall just right or passenger side of the vacuum motor. Mike